Three Rivers marks milestone in style

Sunday

May 12, 2013 at 12:01 AMMay 12, 2013 at 12:01 PM

More than 200 people put on their fanciest clothing Saturday night and joined in a celebration of Three Rivers Community College’s 50th anniversary and the career of Grace Jones, its retiring president.

JOHN BARRY

More than 200 people put on their fanciest clothing Saturday night and joined in a celebration of Three Rivers Community College’s 50th anniversary and the career of Grace Jones, its retiring president.

The celebration was held at the Garde Arts Center in New London. Guests entered the lobby along a red carpet and were introduced as if they were attending a Hollywood premiere by radio personality Teresa Berry, a member of the Three Rivers College Foundation’s board of directors.
The foundation organized the celebration.

In the lobby, guests posed for photos by Richard Roberts of Marsal Studios in Salem. Roberts also produced a 50th anniversary tribute video shown at the event.

“I’m having a marvelous evening,” said Lottie Scott, of Norwich, who is a graduate of Mohegan Community College, which merged with Thames Valley State Technical College in 1992 to form Three Rivers.

“I think the Garde is a great setting for this event,” Scott said. “I love it. It’s spectacular.”

“I’m here for Grace (Jones),” said the Rev. Thomasina Yuille. “I’ve known Grace since I was 12 years old. She is a lovely person and just a great friend.”

“She’s been a wonderful leader for this college,” state Community College Chancellor Marc Herzog said. “She had a wonderful tenacity to fight for the college. … I’m sure the college is going to miss her dearly.”

Jones is stepping down next month as president.

“When we were looking for a president of Three Rivers, we were looking for someone who could build on the work of her predecessor (Booker DeVaughn),” said the Rev. David Cannon, a member of the state Community College Board of Trustees from 1977 to 2011. “Someone who was patient, and yet impatient enough not to sit tight. She was perfect for the job. Perfect.”

Shawn Mawhiney, communications director at The William W. Backus Hospital and a member of the foundation’s board, said attending Three Rivers gave him an essential start to his career.

“Three Rivers gave me the confidence for other things,” he said, enabling him to graduate from Trinity College and get a job at The Bulletin and then at Backus. “It all really started at Three Rivers,” he said.

“I’m ecstatic. I love the celebration of the 50 years of the college,” Jones said. “It’s been a wonderful, wonderful experience for me.”

Guest speaker Michelle Jacobik, a 1989 graduate, was chosen to speak about the college’s past; current student Yisrael Golden was to speak about its present; and Kourtney Kirschener, a student at Three Rivers Middle College, a magnet high school, was to speak about its future.